So, you want to make a Web Page! - Lesson 25

Well, that about does it! You now know all the tags you'll need to create a basic web page! Aren't there more tags? Oh yeah. Lots more. But rest assured you've got most of the basic weaponry you'll need. After you tinker with these main tags awhile, you may want to look at some of my other slightly more advanced tutorials: Table Tutor, Form Tutor and Frames Tutor. They will give you a few more really neat things to have in your bag of web publishing tricks. Beyond that, there are quite a few redundant tags, that is tags that in theory have a specialized use, but in practice, duplicate more common tags presented here. There are a few outdated tags, and a few that have such a limited use, it wasn't even worth it to go over them.

As I noted earlier, there is a push to separate structural markup (paragraphs, lists, tables etc) from presentational markup (colors, fonts etc.). This can be a very powerful thing from a web designer's point of view and can also go a long way towards making your content even more accessible as people begin to access the internet in ever expanding ways.

An important component of this separation is CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). And while a knowledge of CSS is not at all necessary for making web pages, it is a related area where you definitely might wish to further your studies. Eventually, using both your HTML skills and your knowledge of CSS, you may wish dig into the strict version of HTML 4.

One of the neatest things you can do with a web page is to make it DO stuff. You can investigate the wonderful world of JavaScript and learn to write mini programs that you can insert in your pages. It's a little bit more complex than HTML, but I've written JavaScript Tutor, and that will give you a solid start on some of the basics. In addition there are dozens of "copy-n-paste" javascript sites that offer code for the taking.

I mentioned at the beginning of this tutorial some of my thoughts on HTML editors. In my opinion the best editors to use are not the big clunky wizard types. You know, the ones that say you don't need to know a lick of HTML to author a page. The problem is, a large number of the pages I see that have been put together with these programs look as if the author didn't know a lick of HTML. Not only that, if a problem arises, a person with a basic knowledge of HTML is going to solve that problem a heck of a lot faster than a person who has been leaning on one of those page maulers.

Most experienced authors use some sort of text-based editors. What these editors do is pop in a set of tags for you with a simple click. They make it so you don't have to manually type in color codes, left, right, center or whatever. You have absolute control over your page design. I once heard the phrase "text editor on steroids" to describe one. That's about what they are. What do I use? I use NoteTab Pro, not only for web authoring, but for almost EVERYTHING than has anything to do with text of any sort. Its "Clipbook" makes it truly an amazing application.

Anyhow, once you have made your pages you will need to upload them to a server. The server is a computer that is running a server program that doles out documents to whoever requests them. For a little bit of guidance on putting your pages on the Web, have a look at Uploading Your Pages.